Officials: Rusty Water Problem Fixed At Last In Montgomery
MONTGOMERY, Ill. (CBS) -- A problem with nasty-tasting rusty water may finally be fixed for residents near the far west suburban community of Montgomery.
As WBBM Newsradio's Felicia Middlebrooks reports, since last fall,
residents of an unincorporated portion of the Boulder Hill homes have been stuck with rusty and stinky water.
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The problem has been tied to a variety of malfunctions.
But now, at last, Montgomery public works officials have predicted that clean water will be filtered into home pipes Tuesday.
They placed the main water treatment facility back online Friday.
The Village of Montgomery has been struck with water problems since November, when the series of malfunctions, water flow directions and chemicals began to cause residents to complain.
At a January meeting of the Montgomery Village Board, some residents brought in independent samples of their water. In some instances, the readings showed iron content that ranged from 1.5 to 3.5 milligrams per liter.
The village also received complaints about a petroleum smell coming from the taps of some residents.
Just last week, trustees heard of a possible long-term solution to the problems in Boulder Hill. Using a series of bond and low interest loans, a $7.8 million water main replacement project may begin later this year.
"I'm going to change my filter again," resident Troy Reiser said.
He said public works crews were flushing a hydrant in the area on Monday and he hopes this is an end to the problem with the rusty water. He is now looking to the spring when he plans to fill his swimming pool.
Michael Pubentz, director of public works for the village, said the process has been frustrating and he believes the solution is on track. The plan to replace and loop water mains in the area will fix the rusty water problem and help cut down on the number of water main breaks in the area.
Trustees will vote on the plan later this month. Projected costs for the project will account for an additional $15 monthly on the water bills of Boulder Hill residents.
